Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) will hold a second Girls’ Summit next month.
The school system sponsored the first Girls’ Summit last October at Clarksburg High School and the response was overwhelming. More than 1,000 students, parents, and caregivers attended, so MCPS decided to hold a second event. It will take place on Saturday, March 9 from 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Northwood High School in Silver Spring.
“We’re holding the second summit in the Down County area to make these same resources and information accessible to more girls and families,” said Stephanie Iszard, executive assistant for County School System’s Medical Officer, Dr. Patricia Kapunan.
Reason for the Summit
Iszard designed and coordinated all of the facets of the first summit. She collaborated with local community and national partners. The idea arose after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released an alarming report last year. It showed teen girls were experiencing record high levels of sadness, violence, and suicide risk. The report was based on data collected in 2021. The report found nearly three in five teen-age girls (57%) felt persistently sad or hopeless. The figure was nearly double that of boys. It also was a dramatic increase from 2011 when 36% of teen girls felt this way. The report also found teens that identify as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, or questioning felt extreme distress. About 52% of these teens said they experienced poor mental health and more than one in five had attempted suicide.
Maryland and Montgomery County conduct their own report called the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The most recent report released last year was based on information collected from 2021-2022. It had similar findings to the CDC report. For example, 52% of 11th grade girls in the County said they felt sad or hopeless over a two week period.
Highlighting Teens’ Needs
The Girls’ Summit is trying to address some of the mental health struggles girls are experiencing today. Social media and bullying are two problems that plague teen-age girls. The second Girls’ Summit will provide important information on this topic. Organizers will present a film called ‘Screenagers’.
“The film speaks to the vulnerabilities of youth as they navigate social media, other online content like videogames, and balance those with the stresses of school. The film offers practical solutions for families on how to help youth navigate the issue,” Iszard said.
A panel discussion will follow the screening of the movie. Participants can then attend a variety of breakout sessions that address a number of topics such as improving self-esteem, body image, art therapy, and suicide prevention.
Fashion Show and Other Features
The summit will conclude with the Girls’ Empowerment Fashion Show. A similar event took place at the first summit. Girls and their caregivers participated in the show which celebrated diverse body types and powerful girls’ and women’s fashions. The fashion show was one of the highlights of the first summit.
Kapunan is urging people to attend the second Girls’ Summit even if girls and teens attended the first one.
“I am definitely looking forward to attending as the October event was amazing. It simply wasn’t possible to experience every offering. I hope students will do the same and check it out with their friends and family members,” Kapunan said.
School and health leaders agree, an event like the Girls’ Summit will help shine a light on the mental health struggles girls and teens are experiencing today. The event hopes to provide practical solutions for participants, their parents, and caregivers.
“The data tells us that our girls are struggling. We’ve heard firsthand from parents and caregivers that they also are struggling. The summit is about bringing everyone together to tackle these issues head on,” Iszard said.
“We also want our girls and families to know that they aren’t alone in dealing with whatever difficulties, they may be having,” Iszard added.
Registration
Pre-registration is required for the event.
Here is the registration link: http://tinyurl.com/222kpurn
